WATERVLIET, N.Y. — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has launched a veterans’ business-outreach center (VBOC) in Watervliet in the Capital region.
The VBOC at the Arsenal Business & Technology Partnership in Watervliet (north of Albany) resulted from a $180,000 grant that the SBA awarded the facility through the VBOC grant-funding competition, the SBA said in a news release.
“We are pleased to have the Watervliet–based Arsenal Business & Technology Partnership chosen as the veterans business-outreach center for all veteran entrepreneurs in New York and New Jersey,” Bernard J. Paprocki, director of the SBA Syracuse district, which includes the Capital region, said in the agency’s release.
The award is for an initial performance period of eight months with an option for 12 more months after that, according to the SBA.
The SBA’s Office of Veteran Business Development offers the grant funding, which enables each VBOC to provide entrepreneurial training, “comprehensive” business assessment, and mentoring to active-duty service members, veterans and service-disabled veterans, National Guard and Reservists, and military spouses interested in starting a small business.
The SBA opened the VBOC grant-funding competition to eligible colleges; private organizations or businesses; nonprofit community-based organizations; and state, local or tribal-governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com